15 Ideal gases

OCR Physics A Exam-style questions

Refer to the Physics A data sheet for data, formulae and relationships information.
1 a In an experiment with helium gas at constant volume, the pressure exerted
by the gas is measured at 10 ºC intervals from 0 ºC to 100 ºC. Describe how
you would use this data to determine a Celsius value for absolute zero.

(3 marks)

b A cylinder of volume 5.5 × 103 m3 contains nitrogen at a temperature of

18 ºC and a pressure of 3.0 MNm2.
Calculate the volume the nitrogen would occupy at a temperature of 0 ºC and
a pressure of 1.0 × 105 Nm2.

(2 marks)

2 a The equation relating the pressure, p, and the volume, V, of an ideal gas is
pV nRT
Identify the terms n, R, and T.

(3 marks)

b A bottle of volume 1.2 × 104 m3 contains air. A vacuum pump reduces the
pressure of the air in the bottle to 180 Pa at a temperature of 20 ºC.
Molar mass of air  0.029 kg mol1
Calculate:
i the number of air molecules remaining in the bottle

(2 marks)

ii the density of the air remaining in the bottle after evacuation.

(2 marks)

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 15 Ideal gases
OCR Physics A Exam-style questions

3 a State two quantities that increase when the temperature of a given mass of
gas is increased while the volume occupied by the gas remains constant.

(2 marks)

b A car tyre when inflated has a volume of 1.4 × 102 m3. The pressure of the
air is measured at a temperature of 17 ºC and recorded as 210 kPa.
The molar mass of air is 0.029 kg mol1.
i Calculate the amount of air, in moles, in the tyre.

(2 marks)

ii When the car is driven, the temperature of the tyre increases to 35 ºC.
Assuming that the volume of the tyre is unchanged, calculate the
pressure in the tyre at its operating temperature.

(2 marks)

4 a A small dust particle in the upper atmosphere is struck by five molecules in

succession. The speeds of the molecules are 300 ms1, 500 ms1, 700 ms1,
400 ms1 and 600 ms1.
Calculate:
i the mean speed of the molecules, c

(1 mark)

ii the root mean square (r.m.s.) speed of the molecules, c2 .

(2 marks)

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 15 Ideal gases
OCR Physics A Exam-style questions

b Show that, for an ideal gas, the r.m.s. speed of its molecules is given by the
formula
3 RT
c2 
M

where M is the mass of one mole of the gas in kilograms.

(3 marks)

c Calculate, for an ideal gas, the ratio

r.m.s. speed of its molecules at 250 ºC

r.m.s. speed of its molecules at 25 ºC

(2 marks)

d The velocity required for molecules to escape from the Earth’s atmosphere is
about 11 km s1. Estimate the temperature to which hydrogen must be
heated in order for the r.m.s. speed of its molecules to be equal to this
escape velocity.
Molar mass of hydrogen  2.0 ×103 kg mol1

(2 marks)

5 a Gas molecules are said to make perfectly elastic collisions with one another.
i State what is meant by a perfectly elastic collision.

(1 mark)

ii Explain, in terms of the behaviour of its molecules, how a gas exerts a

pressure on the walls of its container.

(4 marks)

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 15 Ideal gases
OCR Physics A Exam-style questions

iii Explain, in terms of the behaviour of molecules, why the pressure of a

gas in a container of constant volume increases when the temperature of
the gas is increased.

(2 marks)

b A weather balloon is filled with helium gas. Just before take-off, the pressure
inside the balloon is 105 kPa and its internal volume is 5.0 × 103 m3. The
temperature inside the balloon is 20 °C.
The pressure, volume and temperature of the helium gas change as the
balloon rises into the upper atmosphere.
i The balloon expands to a volume of 1.2 × 104 m3 in the upper
atmosphere, where the temperature inside the balloon is 30 °C.
Calculate the pressure inside the balloon.

(3 marks)

ii Suggest why it is necessary to release helium from the balloon as it

continues to rise.

(1 mark)

OCR Physics A, January 2012

6 An ideal gas is trapped in an insulated cylinder by a piston that is free to move.

The gas is at atmospheric pressure, p1.
a The gas is heated from 27 °C to 327 °C. During the heating process the
piston is held at its original position.
Show that the pressure immediately after heating is 2p1.

(2 marks)

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 15 Ideal gases
OCR Physics A Exam-style questions

b The piston is now released. The gas pushes the piston out until the pressure
of the gas returns to atmospheric pressure, p1. The volume of the gas
increases from its original value V1 to 1.5V1.
Calculate the final temperature of the gas in °C.

(3 marks)

c i The original volume V1 of gas trapped in the cylinder is 3.0 ×105 m3.
Atmospheric pressure p1 is 1.0 ×105 Pa.
Show that the amount of gas in the cylinder is about 1 ×103 mol.

(2 marks)

ii The molar mass, M, of the gas is 0.016 kg mol1.

Calculate the mass, m, of gas, in kg, present in the cylinder.

(1 mark)

iii During the initial heating process all of the heat supplied to the gas is
converted into kinetic energy of the gas molecules. Calculate the
increase in the internal energy of the gas during that process.
Specific heat capacity of the gas  1300 J kg1 K1

(2 marks)

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